5 Ways to Social Media Marketing Success

Social media marketing has given individuals and businesses a unique opportunity—the ability to communicate directly with audiences. With great power, however, comes great responsibility.

Because of this, businesses rely heavily on the success of social media efforts, especially when complimenting overall communication strategies.

Here are five ways to help your social media marketing efforts be more successful:

1.) Understand Your Audience
First and foremost, you need to understand your audience in the following ways:

The platforms they use
What time of day they’re online
What content they consume and share

This is the key to all success.

With these discoveries in mind, you’ll be equipped to create extraordinary social media marketing content that will effectively reach your audience and carry your digital reputation forward. Businesses who don’t understand what their audience wants often share content that bores them and most unfortunately may offend them.

All too often we see businesses posting content that goes viral for all of the wrong reasons because it struck the wrong nerve. This is due to a simple lack of understanding.

2.) Unite Your Audience
Your audience may be composed of an eclectic mix of individuals and groups. Whatever you do, do not cultivate content that for any reason draws a divide between them. This will cause chaos, disharmony and ultimately harm your organization’s reputation.

That diverse body of people most likely follows your organization for similar reasons. Use your business as a common ground to make the world a better place by uniting your audience. I promise that you won’t regret it.

3.) Showcase Your Audience
Similarly, utilize strategies and mechanisms to gather photos and stories regarding that diverse audience.

There’s nothing that your audience will love more than to see themselves in action every now and then. It lets them know that you not only care about them, but are paying attention too.

Your business is a storyteller. You’re not just creating a one-way conversation about your organization and how great it is. You’re establishing a two-way communication intersection that highlights the bigger picture–your business and its interaction with the world and its audience.

4.) Give Something for Something
Your budget may be limited, but make an effort to give something away to your audience. Make sure it isn’t cheesy either–use your understanding of your following to select an incentive that is worthwhile and appropriate.

Also be sure to add a fun twist on this giveaway by making it an exchange rather than a plain freebie.

Are you giving away tickets to your show? Have your audience share their favorite memories of the show and select the top three.

Giving a $100 Visa gift card away? Have your audience show you a photo collage of what they’d buy–especially if it ties into your business.

5.) Use Custom-Designed Content
Regurgitating news articles and graphics made by other people is a sure way to position yourself as a follower–not a leader.

Your business needs to be leading your audience by sharing its own story. It may cost a few additional dollars to hire a graphic designer and videographer to make this possible, but I promise you won’t regret it.

Here are a few specific projects to invest in:

Social-media-specific videos
Guerrilla marketing stunts shared through social media
Custom graphics for articles, quotes, products and holidays

Your audience will appreciate the fact that you care enough about your social media marketing to invest in high-quality storytelling mediums. Most of all, they will notice the difference.

Companies like Coke–who design all kinds of fun content surrounding the brand–stand out head-and-shoulders above the competition.

An example of Coke’s Facebook content

How is your organization leading the way to social media marketing success?

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